Residents in Coedkernew, a village near Newport in Wales, say a new 65ft-high data centre built just yards from their homes has permanently ruined their countryside views and driven away local wildlife. The Vantage Data Centers facility, part of a 46-acre site, has become a source of ongoing anger, with homeowners saying their objections were ignored by council planners keen to rebrand the area as a "science city," and that property values have fallen as a result.

Residents on the site's "front line" describe the scene as "apocalyptic," with construction causing houses to shake and generating enough dust that Vantage now regularly cleans the windows of four affected homes. A protective earth bund meant to shield views was reportedly built too low, while locals report already hearing humming noise before the centre is fully operational and fear rising traffic and further disturbance; some have also raised concerns, citing recent drone strikes on AWS data centres in the UAE and Bahrain, that such sites could become military targets. No homeowner has been offered financial compensation, and residents blame Newport City Council for prioritising AI investment over their concerns.